Floor conditioner



p -3,1963 JEPSON ETAL 3,102,292

FLOOR CONDITIONER Filed April 27. 1961 5 sheetwheet 1 JERsoA/AA/o BY AZFEED FEzMsraeease Arroeuev Sept. 3, 1963 Filed April 27, 1961 I. JEPSON ETAL FLOOR CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m2 aspscu/wa A4 FRED FEWSTBERGEA? ATT'OEA/EY I. JEPSON ETAL FLOOR connrrxom Sept. 3, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 27, 1961 IN VEN TORS 2 Ms A W. Y B%E id w fi em RFEU Mmm A V: B,

Sept. 3, 1963 l. JEPSON ETAL FLOOR CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 27. 1961 mmvrons M412 JERSOA/ Am: BY A4 new A EAA/sraE/esE/z fiea zge, E Cvz ATTOEA/EY United States Patent 3,102,292 FLOOR CONDITIONER Ivar Jepson, Oak Park, and Alfred F. Ernstberger, Broadview, 111., assiguors to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 106,085 10 Claims. (CI. 1550) The present invention relates to a combined floor conditioner and rug cleaner, and more specifically relates to a twin brush type of floor conditioner.

In recent years, particularly with the advent of some of the modern floor coverings, floor conditioners for use in homes have come into extensive use. Prior to that time floor conditioners were primarily used by professionals in connection with business establishments and the like and relatively few people had floor conditioners for use in their homes. More recently, however, there have been developed relatively inexpensive floor conditioners with which the present invention is concerned.

The modern home generally comprises a number of floors covered with some sort of floor coverings, such as vinyl or plastic tile, linoleum, etc. and numerous other floors which may be carpeted or covered with rugs of some sort. It would be desirable to provide an all purpose floor conditioner and rug cleaner which can be used to clean, wax and polish certain floors whether they be wood, tile, linoleum or the like and, furthermore, be also capable of cleaning rugs and carpets.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved, all purpose floor conditioner which is simple and compact, of sturdy construction, and which will give long years of satisfactory operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved floor conditioner of simplified construction, which nevertheless will provide the desired floor conditioning or rug cleaning.

Still another object of the present invention resides in an improved twin brush floor conditioner and rug cleaner having improved brush construction and driving means therefor.

A still further object of the present invention resides in an improved liquid dispenser for ready attachment to a floor conditioner for dispensing wax, cleaning liquids or the like adjacent the brushes.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the all purpose floor conditioner and rug cleaner of the present invention showing the liquid dispenser associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lower portion of the floor conditioner of FIG. 1 with certain portions thereof cut away more fully to illustrate the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 assuming that FIG. 2 shows the complete construction;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2 again assuming that FIG. 2 shows the complete construction;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of the arrows 5--5 in FIG. 4 assuming that FIG. 4 shows the complete structure and with certain portions cut away to illustrate how liquid is supplied adjacent the brushes of the floor conditioner;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear elevational view of a portion of the handle assembly of the floor conditioner of the "ice present invention with the liquid dispenser supported thereon and with certain portions cutaway;

FIG. 7 is a sectional vie-w taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing in solid lines the liquid dispensing valve in open position, and by dashed lines indicating the closed posi tion thereof;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view partly in section of a portion of the liquid dispenser; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

Briefly, the present invention is concerned with a twin brush type floor conditioner wherein the brushes comprise molded plastic backing members for holding the bristles therein, which backing members also function as internal and external gears whereby the brushes are drivingly related to each other and to the prime mover. The invention also contemplates a simple handle grip for the floor conditioner which is readily assembled and which serves not only as a handle grip but also as a switch enclosure, and which may be assembled in a very simple manner. Additionally, the invention is concerned with a liquid dispenser which may be associated and disassociated from the floor conditioner and which will supply various types of liquid adjacent the twin brushes in a controlled manner.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a floor conditioner generally designated by the reference numeral 3!) which floor conditioner comprises a handle assembly 31 pivotally mounted to a housed power unit generaily designated at 32 which unit is enclosed within a housing 33. Associated with the unit 32 are a pair of counter rotating brushes commonly termed twin brushes 34. Removably supported on the handle assembly 31 above the power unit 32in a manner described in detail hereinafter is a liquid dispenser 35. The particular design of the floor conditioner 30 or the liquid dispenser 35 forms no part of the present invention, but are disclosed in design Patents D. 191,097-Reed, granted August 15, 1961 and D. 191,195-Cornwcll, Jr., granted August 29, 1961, both assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

Considering first the handle assembly 31, it is illustrated as comprising a pair of tubular members 36 and 37, the upper ends of which are bent at a slight angle as indicated at 36a and 37a in FIGS. 1 and 11 of the drawings. Moreover, the portions above the bends 36a and 37a are disposed in parallel contacting relationship and are preferably secured together as by welding (indicated at 38 in FIG. 11 of the drawings) so that the two tubular handle portions 36 and 37 form a unitary handle assembly. The portions of tubular members 36- :and 37 below the bends 36a and 37a diverge and the lower ends thereof are fiattened as indicated at 361) and 37b, the lower ends diverging sufiiciently so as to receive therebetween a portion of the power unit 32 to which the handle assembly 31 is pivotally mounted as by pivot bolts 41, best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. If desired, a suitable handle tip 42 formed of a plastic material or the like may be insorted in the lowered flattened ends 36a and 36b of the handle assembly 31 to improve the appearance and to provide a stop member as is clearly evident from FIG. 4 of the drawings. Preferably a tubular bearing 43 is supported in aligned openings formed in the wall of each of the flattened ends 36b and 37b of the handle assembly 31 to provide bearings for the pivot bolts 41 and also to retain the handle tips 42 in position, the latter being provided with suitable openings for the tubular bearing members 43 as clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

It will be appreciated that the power unit 32 generally comprises an electric motor, the control for which is preferably provided adjacent the upper end of the handle assembly 31 which means that a power cord must extend from the power unit 32 to the upper end of the handle assembly 31. So that this may readily be accomplished, the tubular handle member 36 is provided with an opening 44 for receiving a suitable rubber or insulating grommet 45, and electrical conductors 46 and 47 disposed within tubular handle member 36 may extend through the opening in the grommet 45 and enter housing 33 as clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The electrical conductors 46 and 47 are thus enclosed within the passageway contained in tubular handle member 36 and enter directly therefrom into an insulated switch housing generally designated at 48 secured to the underside of the handle assembly 31 above the bends 36a and 37a. As illustrated in FIG. 11 of the drawings, a U-shaped bracket member 49 is welded or otherwise secured to the handle assembly 31 and encloses the bottom and both ends of the switch housing 48. A manually actuatable switch knob 48a projects through a suitable opening in the bracket 49 as clearly shown in FIG. 11 of the drawings. Furthermore, the conductors 46 and 47 extend into the insulated switch housing 48 and are connected through the switch, not shown, to the power cord 50' in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. A suitable strain relief 50a molded or otherwise secured to the power cord 50 is sup ported by the bracket 49. Preferably also, suitable cord hooks such as 51 and 52 are welded to one of the tubular handle members upon which the power cord 50 may be wound for storage purposes. In the drawing the cord hooks 51 and 52 are illustrated as being secured by welding or the like to the tubular handle member 37.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a molded sleevelike handle grip member 53 preferably formed of a plastic material. This member 53- is open at one end and the chamber defined therein is shaped to conform to the ends of tubular members 36 and 37 receivable therein including a portion for receiving switch housing 48 and bracket 49. The closed end of member 53 comprises a hand grip portion 53a. The member 53 further includes an enlargement 53b adjacent its open end thereof snugly receiving therein the switch housing 48 and bracket 49. Centrally disposed within the sleeve 53 is a web portion 53c receivable between the tubes 36 and 37 beneath the weld 38 securing them together. The sleeve 53 is slipped over the ends of the handle members 36 and 37 as clearly shown in FIG. 11 of the drawings, and the enlarged portion 53b adjacent the open end thereof is slipped over the switch housing 48 and bracket 49 until the manually actuatable switch knob 48a projects through an opening 55 defined in the portion 53b. Suitable indicia may be applied on the exterior of the member 53 adjacent the knob 48a indicating the on and E condition of the switch 48. The inherent resilience of member 53 maintains it in position since it tends to grip the parts received therein. Additionally, switch knob 48a engaging with opening 55 locks member 53 to the tubular members 36 and 37.

Considering now the power unit 32, it, as mentioned above, includes the housing 33 which preferably is molded from a suitable plastic, but which also might comprise a die casting of a light metal. As illustrated in the drawings the housing 33 includes a low relatively flattened elongated housing portion 33a open at the bottom and an upper housing portion 33b of much smaller crosssectional area also open at the bottom. These two housing portions 330 and 33b are preferably formed as a unitary structure. The housing 33 thus defines a motor chamber 59 within the portion 33b thereof and brush chamber 60 Within the portion 33a thereof. The periphery of the open bottom of the housing portion 33a is provided with a bumper strip 61 of a suitable molded plastic or rubber material, the bumper strip being the most projecting portion of the unit 32 and, hence, being the portion that engages furniture and the like. In accordance with the present invention the housing portion 33a is relatively shallow to provide a structure with a low silhouette whereby the housing portion 33a may reach recessed areas such as the toe spaces under various cabinetry and the like.

For the purpose of securing a suitable electric motor unit generally designated by the reference numeral 62 (FIG. 2 of the drawings) within the housing 33, the latter is provided within the pontion thereof defining brush chamber 60 with integral tubular projections 33c (FIGS. 3 and 4) containing openings for receiving suitable self tapping screws 63 for clamping the motor unit 62 in position in a manner described hereinafter. Also, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings, the housing portion 33 contains a tubular projection 33d integrally formed therewith. This projection 33d is disposed at the rear of the housing and defines a passageway 58 therethrough whereby fluid may be dispensed into the brush chamber 60 as will become apparent from the ensuing description. For increasing the rigidity of the housing 33 particularly at the forward portion of portion 33a which is likely to engage furniture, etc., and also as a safety feature to prevent the user from inserting a finger and getting it caught between the inner wall of housing portion 33a and gears to be described hereinafter associated with the brushes 34, suitable brackets 33a (FIG. 3) integrally molded with housing 33 are provided at the front corners thereof. The housing portion 33b is also provided at either side thereof with elongated openings 64 only one of which is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings for permitting the pivot bolts 41 to engage the motor unit 62 and also to permit the conductors 46 and 47 to extend into the housing 33 whereby electrical connection with the power unit 62 may be made as indicated at 65 in the drawings. Furthermore, so that cooling air for cooling the motor may readily enter and exhaust from the housing portion 33, the latter is preferably provided with suitable openings, such as slits 66 and 67 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) at the front thereof and additional openings, not shown in the drawings, at the rear thereof preferably adjacent the top of the housing portion 33b since a suitable cooling fan generally indicated at 68 (FIG. 2) is preferably disposed within the motor chamber 59 adjacent the top thereof.

The motor unit 62 forms no part of the present invention and comprises any suitable electric motor mounted so that the axis of its armature shaft designated as 6-9 is vertically disposed. In accordance with the present invention the lower end of motor unit 62 is secured by suitable fastening means not shown to motor base 70 in the form of a die casting having somewhat centrally located depending wall portions 70a defining a recess on the underside thereof serving as a gear chamber 71. The base 70 has an opening leading to gear chamber 71 and a bearing 72 for the lower end of motor shaft 69 which is supported in this opening. Thus, the lower end of motor shaft 69 which has a helical spur gear 73 defined thereon extends into gear chamber 71. The motor base 70 has a peripheral portion extending beyond the motor unit 62 and the gear chamber 71, effectively defining a bottom closure for motor chamber 59 thereby dividing the housing 33 into the two chambers 59 and 60.

In order to secure housing 33 to the motor unit 62, the motor base 70 is provided adjacent projections 33c with suitable openings for receiving the fastening means 63 which clamp the base 70, and hence the electric motor to the housing 33 in the position clearly indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The base 70 further includes integral upwardly directed projections or ears 7011 on either side thereof which extend into the openings 64. Furthermore, the projections 7% are provided with tapped openings for receiving the pivot bolts 41 whereby the handle assembly 31 is effectively pivoted to the power I drawings. formed of nylon or other suitable material.

unit 32 rather than to the housing 33. This arrangement permits the housing 33 to be molded of an inexpensive plastic since it does not function as a support for the handle which instead is directly secured to the power unit. The motor'base 70 also includes an opening 74 (FIGS. 3 and 5) through which the tubular projection 33d of housing 33 may extend for supplying fluid to the brush chamber 60. The base 70 further includes a pair of downwardly directed integral projections 70c (FIG. 3) at the front and rear thereof which define support brackets for telescopic engagement with a mechanism used when the floor conditioner of the present invention is utilized for rug cleaning purposes. This mechanism forms no part of the present invention but is disclosed in oopending Jepson et al. application Serial No. 756,- 710, now Patent No. 3,068,503, filed Augist 22, 1958 and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

From the ensuing description it will be apparent that one reason the base 70 extends considerably beyond the periphery of the electric motor secured thereto is to rigidly support in spaced parallel relationship the pair of stationary shafts 77 for rotatably supporting the brushes 34. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings, the motor base 70 includes a pair of integral spaced depending tubular projections 70d. The shafts 77 are suitably secured within openings defined in projections 70d as by a press fit or the like. These projections 77 are in effect stationary shafts each of which is pro vided adjacent its lower end with an annular brush retaining groove 80. Moreover, for purposes which will become apparent from the following description, the lower ends of the shafts 77 are each provided with a circular bevel or ohamfer 81 and the wall most closely adjacent the bevel 81 defining groove 80 is inclined as indicated at 80a.

For the purpose of rotating the brush-es 34 about the axes of stationary shafts 77, there is provided an assembly comprising a helical gear 82, a pinion 83 and a gear box cover 84. The gear box cover 84 is provided with a suitable opening therein whereby a tubular extension 83a of pinion 83 may extend through this opening and be seeuredto gear 82 as by heat staking whereby the gear 82 and pinion 83 are rotatable as a unit one on eitherside of cover 84. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, tubular extension 83a is provided with axially extending recesses for receiving axially extending projections 82a within a central opening of gear 82. A grease seal 85 is preferably supported in an annular recess on the lower surface of helical gear 82 which engages the inside of cover 84 around the. opening referred to above and, hence, prevents the escape of grease or lubrication through this opening for the extension 83a.

To r'otatably support the gear 82 and pinion 83 which are effectively united into an integral structure, there is provided a stub shaft 86 suitably supported in a depending tubular projection 702 of the motor base 70 within" gear chamber 71. The stub shaft 86 is receivable within the passageway in tubular extension 83a of pinion 83. So that grease or lubrication for the stnb'shaft 86 does not escape, the above referred to passageway is closed at the lower end by a wall designated at 83c. It will be appreciated that when the cover 84 is secured to the Walls 70a defining the gear chamber 71 as by fastening means 88, the helical gear 82 is drivingly engaged with the helical spur gear 73 defined on the motor shaft 69. Moreover, a suitable washer 89' concentric with the stub shaft 86 and engageable with the upper end of gear 82 forces the grease seal 85 into engagement with the cover 84, as clearly shown in FIG. 12 of the Preferably the gear 82 and pinion 83 are The gear chamber 71 is furthermore filled with a suitable lubricant in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art.

Preferably, and as a safety measure, the motor base '70 includes a pair of depending somewhat V-shaped wings 70 best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, which conform to the peripheries of the brushes 34 and like the brackets 33c prevent the user from inserting a finger into the gears for rotating these brushes described hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention the brushes 34 are identical and each comprises a backing member preferably formed of a suitable molded plastic with the bristles arranged in the form of tufts 81 suitably stapled therein. In an embodiment built in accordance with the present invention two annular news of tufts 91 are provided for each brush as clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention the backing members 90 for each brush include an annular projection from the side thereof remote from the tufts or bristles 91 designated by the reference numeral 90a. This annular projection 900 includes on the outer periphery external gear teeth 93 and on the inner periphery internal gear teeth 94 (FIG. 3). Each of the backing members 90 is moreover constructed in the form of a gear with a central hub 90b interconnected with the gear portion by an integral annular Web portion 900. A suitable molded bearing 95 of nylon or the like is preferably disposed within each hub 9% whereby the brushes 34 may be rotatahly supported on shafts 77. The diameter of the backing members 90 of the brushes 34 and the spacing between the axes of the stub shafts 77 are such that when the stub shafts are inserted in the bushings 95, the external gear teeth 93 on the brushes will be in mesh as clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Furthermore, the pinion 83 is so located that it will be in mesh with the internal gear teeth 94 of one of the brushes 34, specifically the right-hand one as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawmgs.

In order removably to secure the brushes 34 to the stationary shafts 77 as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, there is provided a wirelike spring brush retainer 96 which has a depending U-shaped central portion 96a and a pair of laterally extending end portions 96b which end portions extend from the ends of the legs of the U-shaped portion remote from the bight of the U. The brush retainer 96 is adapted to be secured to each of the brush backs 90 as by being clamped between the web portions 90c and suitable brackets 97' of generally U shape riveted as indicated at 98 to the brush backs 90. Preferably in this connection each of the tuft supporting members or brush backs 90 of the brushes 34 is provided on the tuft supporting side thereof with a raised portion 90d having a longitudinally extending recess therein for receiving the portions 96b of the brush retainer 96 therein and the bracket 97 is clamped against the raised portion 90d so that the brush retainer 96 remains Within the recess beneath the bracket 97. To be sure that the bight portion of the U-shaped portion 96a of the brush retainer 96 remains in a predetermined position relative to bushing 95 so that it may readily be received within the brush retaining groove 80, there are provided a pair of cars 90a on one side of the hub 90b (FIG. 3) which are spaced to receive therebetween one leg of the U-shaped portion 96a of the wire brush retainer 96. By virtue of the annular bevel 81 and the inclined groove walls 80a, the bight portion of brush retainer 96 will be laterally deflected both when applying the brush to the associated stub shaft 77 or removing it therefrom. In either case the forces for applying or removing the brushes are along the axes of the stub shafts 77.

It will be understood that the brushes 34 may be used for applying wax or for scrubbing the surface or the like. Many times in order to obtain a high wax polish or sometimes to remove Wax, certain polishing members or abrasive members should be used and to this end the center of the bight portion of each of the U-shaped brackets 97 is provided with one portion 99 of a snap fastener so that suitable polishing members or the like may readily and removably be secured thereto by a cooperating snap fastener member secured to such polishing members or the like.

In view of the detailed description included above, the operation of the floor conditioner described thus far will readily be understood. It will furthermore be appreciated that the molded brush backing members simultaneously function as driving gears and as supporting members for the tufts or bristles thus providing a very satisfactory, compact and inexpensive construction. Moreover, the guards 33c and 701 protect the operator from contacting these gears.

As has been described above, the housing 33 is provided with a passageway 63 defined in tubular projections 33d whereby suitable fluid, such as cleaning fluid, water, wax or the like, may be supplied to brush chamber 6-0 adjacent the brushes 34. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a liquid dispenser 35 in the form of a container which is adapted to be removably secured to the floor conditioner 30. As illustrated, the liquid dispenser 35 comprises a two-piece container including an upper housing section 100 and a lower housing section 101, the lower housing section 101 effectively defining a bottom for the upper housing section 100. These two sections are adapted to be secured together by interlock means indicated at 102. For the purpose of bonding sections 100 and 101 together, whereby there is provided a liquid container for holding any liquid to be dispensed in brush chamber 60, a wire loop 102 (FIG. 7) is preferably disposed within a recess in member 101. The loop 102 may comprise part of induction heating means for fusing parts 101 and 102 together. As illustrated, dispenser 35 is provided wtih a number of openings comprising a filling opening 103 near the front upper end of the housing section 100, a dispensing opening 104 in the bottom defined by lower housing portion 101 and a top opening 105 having a pair of diametrically opposed extensions 105a (FIG. 8). The filling opening 103 is preferably adapted to be closed by a suitable cover 100a integrally formed with the container portion 100 and preferably united therewith by flexible band 10%. The opening 104 is effectively a dispensing passageway defined in a tubular projection 101a depending from the bottom of housing section 101.

In order to control the flow of liquid through the dispensing passageway 104, there is provided a valve seat 108 in the container portion 101 adjacent the entry to passageway 104 which valve seat is in the nature of a depression of spherical shape adapted to be engaged by a cooperating rubber or other resilient valve member 109 preferably having a recess therein for receiving therein the lower end of a valve control rod or tube 110 extending out of the container 100 through the opening 105. The upper end of control rod 110 is provided with suitable manually engageable actuating knob 111. To properly guide the lower end of control rod 110 and particularly the valve member 109 in its limited movement between the two positions shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings, a plurality of valve guides 101b integrally formed with housing portion 101 are provided around the valve seat 108. In FIG. 7 of the drawings the valve 109 is shown by solid lines in the opened position and by dashed lines in the closed position.

For the purpose of guiding the axial movement of the upper end of rod 110, there is provided a guide sleeve 112 best shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 10 of the drawings. The lower end of the guide sleeve 112 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed laterally projecting cars 1120 capable of insertion into opening 105 and its extensions 105a. By rotating sleeve 112 so the projections 112a are out of alignment with extensions 105a, the sleeve 112 will be secured to container portion 100. To prevent removal of sleeve .112 once it is partially inserted in opening 105, the container 100 includes camlike projections 1000 on the inside thereof on either side of extensions a, as best shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings, so that when the guide sleeve 112 is inserted into the opening 105 and rotated through a slight angle in either direction, the sleeve 112 is automatically locked to the container portion 100 in the manner clearly shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings.

In order to bias valve member 109' to the closed position, a suitable biasing spring 115 concentric with the valve rod 110 is provided, one end of which spring engages the lower end of the valve guide 112 and the other end engages a pin 116 extending through the valve rod 110. It

will be apparent that spring normally biases valve 109 to the closed position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 7 of the drawings. When it is desired to open the valve the operator merely pulls upwardly on the knob 111 moving the valve member 109 to the solid line position of FIG. 7. If it is desired to maintain the valve in the open condition continuously and hold it there, the control knob 111 and valve rod 110 may be rotated slightly so that a pin 117 extending through valve rod 110 may rest indiametrically opposed notches 118 defined in the upper end of valve sleeve 112 as best shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings. The valve sleeve 112 is provided with dia metrically opposed axial recesses 119 for receiving the ends of the pin 117 when the valve is in other than the fully open position as is clearly apparent from FIG. 10 of the drawings.

In order that the liquid dispenser 35 may readily be supported on the floor conditioner 30, the rear wall thereof, as best shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, comprises a longitudinally extending central depression or recess 120 and a pair of edge longitudinally extending recesses 121 thereby defining a pair of riblike container portions 122 interposed between the recess 120 and the recesses 121. With this arrangement, as clearly shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 of the drawings, the tubular handle members 36 and 37 are receivable in the recesses 121. Preferably a pair of integral protuberances 101b (FIG. 6) on the portion 101 of dispenser 35 are receivable within corresponding recesses 123 defined in handle members 36 and 37 thereby removably securing the lower end of the liquid dispenser 35 in position. Preferably a plurality of lugs 100d integral with the container portion 100, best shown in FIGS. 6 and 9 of the drawings, lock the upper end of the dispenser in position. It will be appreciated that there are available on the market today floor conditioners which instead of having the divergent handle portions 36 and 3-7 have a single handle member. Such a conditioner is shown in copending Jepson et al. application Serial No. 756,710 referred to above. The liquid dispenser 35 can readily be associated with such floor conditioners by having the single handle member disposed in the central depression 120 and projecting lugs 100a similar to the lugs 100d (FIG. 9) are provided to removably secure'the dispenser 3-5 to such apparatus. In other words, the liquid dispenser 35 of the present invention can readily be applied to the floor conditioner shown in Patent D. 186,- 584Ernest assigned to the same assignee as the instant application.

In order that the liquid dispensed from container 35 may be supplied within the brush chamber 60, there is provided a flexible tube 125 which may have one end connected with a tubular projection 101a (FIG. 7) and the other end inserted into the passageway 58 defined in the tubular projection 33d (FIG. 5). Preferably, also as shown in FIG. 5, an integral enlargement 125 a is provided on the exterior of flexible tube 125 to limit the insertion thereof in passageway 58 whereby the liquid is dispensed at the proper place adjacent the brushes 34.

For the purpose of removably supporting the tube 125 on housing 33, there preferably is provided a suction cup 126 (FIG. 4) which has extension 126a for receiving the tube 125. The suction cup is adapted to engage the outside surface of the housing 33b as clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

In view of the detailed description included above, the operation of the floor conditioner 30 of the present invention will readily be understood. The liquid dispenser may or may not be used and, hence, can readily be applied or removed as described above. The liquid employed may be water for scrubbing, wax when it is desired to apply wax to the floor, or a rug cleaner of some sort when it is desired to clean rugs. It will be appreciated that there has been provided a floor conditioner which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is of simple, sturdy construction and which will give long years of satisfactory service.

While there has been illustrated and described what is at present believed to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention numerous changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is aimed in the ap pended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A floor conditioner comprising a housing, a handle pivotally mounted relative to said housing, a pair of stationary shafts depending from said housing, a pair of identical brushes each having a backing member and a plurality of bristles supported directly from said backing member, each of said backing members being formed with an internal and an external gear, means for removably mounting said brushes rotatably on respective ones of said shafts with said external gears in operative engagement, and power means mounted in said housing and including a pinion adapted to operatively engage one of said internal gears when said brushes are assembled on said shafts.

2. A brush for use in a floor conditioner of the twinbrush type having a housing enclosing a power unit provided with a driving pinion, said brush including a backin g member, a plurality of bristles directly supported from said backing member, an internal and an external gear formed integrally with said backing member, said internal gear being adapted for engagement with said pinion and said external gear being adapted for engagement with the external gear of an adjacent identical brush, and means associated with said backing member adapted for mounting said brush rotatably relative to said housing.

3. A floor conditioner comprising a housing, a handle assembly operatively associated with said housing and formed of a pair of elongated members having their upper end portions bent at an angle :and secured in parallel contacting relationship, the portions of the tubular members below the said portions diverging, a power switch means secured to the underside of said upper end portions, a sleevelike handle grip member shaped to conform to said end portions and said switch means and grippingly positioned on said end portions and said switch means, brush means supported from said housing, power means mounted in said housing and including means drivingly associated with said brush means, means connected to said switch means adapted to be connected to a power source, and means interconnecting said switch means and said power means.

4. A floor conditioner as set forth in claim 3 above wherein said elongated members are tubular, and wherein the last-mentioned means extend at least partially through one of said members.

5. A handle assembly for a floor conditioner and the like formed of a pair of elongated members having their upper end portions bent at an angle and secured in parallel contacting relationship, the portions of the tubular members below said end portions diverging, power switch means secured to the underside of said upper end portions, and a molded sleevelike handle grip member shaped to conform to said end portions and said switch means and grippingly positioned on said end portions and said switch means.

6. A floor conditioner comprising a housing including a brush chamber, a handle assembly pivotally mounted relative to said housing and formed of a pair of elongated members having their upper end portions bent at an angle and secured in parallel contacting relationship, the portions of the elongated members below said upper end portions diverging, a pair of brush means in said brush chamber rotatably supported from said housing, power means in said housing operatively connected to drive said brush means, a liquid dispenser provided with a pair of edge longitudinally extending recesses receiving said respective ones of said elongated members, means locking said dispenser to said members, passageway means extending into said brush chamber, and means placing said passageway means in communication with said dispenser.

7. A liquid dispenser adapted to be secured to the handle of a floor conditioner of the type provided with a passageway extending into a brush chamber, said dispenser comprising a liquid container defined by a plurality of wall portions, a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses in one of said Wall portions thereby defining riblike container portions interposed between said recesses, said recesses being adapted to receive said handle of said floor conditioner, a plurality of means extending into said recesses for removably securing said dispenser to said handle, and means adapted detachably to interconnect said container and said passageway.

8. A liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 7 above wherein said plurality of recesses includes at least a pair of edge recesses adapting said dispenser to be supported by a handle of the type formed of a pair of elongated members.

9. A liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 8 above wherein said plurality of recesses additionally includes a central recess additionally adapting said dispenser to be supported by a handle of the type formed of a single elongated member.

10. A floor conditioner comprising a housing including a brush chamber, a handle assembly pivotally mounted relative to said housing and formed of a pair of elongated members having their upper end portions bent at an angle and secured in parallel contacting relationship, the portions of the elongated members below said upper end portions diverging, power switch means secured to the underside of said end portions, a sleevelike handle grip member shaped to conform to said end portions and said switch means and grippingly positioned on said end portions and said switch means, a pair of brush means in said brush chamber rotatably supported from said housing, the outer periphery of each of said brush means forming cooperating gear means, power means in said housing operatively connected to drive one of said brush means, a liquid dispenser provided with a pair of edge longitudinally extending recesses receiving said respective ones of said elongated members, means removably locking the dispenser to said members, passageway means extending into said brush chamber, detachable means placing said passageway means in communication with said dispenser, and circuit means interconnecting said switch means and said power means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,519,616 Herr Dec. 16, 1924 1,829,132 Finnell Oct. 27, 1931 1,947,435 Richmond Feb. 13, 1934 2,540,933 Conway Feb. 6, 1951 2,597,971 Burnharn May 27, 1952 2,867,825 Ripple Ian. 13, 1959 

1. A FLOOR CONDITIONER COMPRISING A HOUSING, A HANDLE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF STATIONARY SHAFTS DEPENDING FROM SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF IDENTICAL BRUSHES EACH HAVING A BACKING MEMBER AND A PLURALITY OF BRISTLES SUPPORTED DIRECTLY FROM SAID BACKING MEMBER, EACH OF SAID BACKING MEMBERS BEING FORMED WITH AN INTERNAL AND AN EXTERNAL GEAR, MEANS FOR REMOVABLY MOUNTING SAID BRUSHES ROTATABLY ON RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID SHAFTS WITH SAID EXTERNAL GEARS IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT, AND POWER MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND INCLUDING 